absolutio

Absolutio is a Latin noun meaning a setting free or absolution. It appears in both legal and religious contexts and has given rise to the English terms absolution and absolve. Etymology: from ab- “away” + solvo “to loosen, release.”

In civil and criminal law, absolutio denotes formal exoneration of a person from liability or culpability. A court may grant absolution (an acquittal) when evidence does not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, or when charges are dismissed. In some jurisdictions the term is used for procedural acts that discharge an obligation or end a case.

In Christian theology and liturgy, absolution refers to the act of forgiving sins. In the Catholic Church, the sacrament of reconciliation culminates in the priest’s absolution, thereby granting remission of sins and the restoration of grace, after confession and contrition. In other Christian traditions, a minister may pronounce absolution during worship or pastoral care, not always within a sacramental framework. The concept emphasizes removal of guilt and spiritual penalties rather than merely a declarative statement.

Historically, absolutio has also referred to ecclesiastical or civil acts of forgiveness or release from oath, punishment, or obligation. The term remains a general synonym for pardon, remission, and exoneration across legal and religious languages, and its precise use varies by jurisdiction and tradition.